Category Archives: Fauna

This time we diverge from looking at plants. On our hike on the Butterfly Trail at Lock # 30, Erie Canal, Macedon, New York, we found at least four mollusks. In the first picture, you can see the “beach” where … Continue reading →

The Allegheny mound ant (Formica exsectoides Forel) is a field ant that found on the refuge. It ranges along the Atlantic Coast of North America from Nova Scotia to Georgia. Although they are not highly regarded by some people, … Continue reading →

(Above photo: Two whooping Cranes at Patuxent Research Refuge.) The Patuxent Research Refuge is home to the USGS’s (United States Geological Survey’s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. One of the on-going projects conducted by the USGS there is the Whooping Crane … Continue reading →

Several individuals of this beautiful butterfly, called the Great Spangled Fritillary, were flying around the North Tract Contact Station this afternoon. They were feeding on the nectar of the Common Milkweed growing in the flower beds around the building. … Continue reading →

This afternoon, I took a quick jaunt out to Lake Allen to take some pictures of the Devil’s Tongue, a type of prickly pear that is found on the Refuge. Devil’s Tongue’s is also known as Eastern Prickly Pear and … Continue reading →

While I was driving on Wildlife Loop on the North Tract today, I saw a small black object in the road. At first, I thought it was a piece of debris, but on closer examination it was a Spotted Turtle … Continue reading →

I don’t know which species of Harvestman this is. It stood still long enough for me to take a couple of good shots. Some people mistakenly believe that Harvestmen are spiders, but they are not. They belong to the Opiliones … Continue reading →

I found this little guy, called a Thistle Tortoise Beetle, crawling on some musk thistle that I found on the refuge. Its scientific name is Cassida rubiginosa and it is native to Eurasia. From what I understand, this beetle was … Continue reading →

This morning a common snapping turtle was trying to cross the road in front of our house. I believe this was a female in search of a nesting site, and could be the same one we saw on our driveway … Continue reading →

Today, while looking at a Black Oak (Quercus velutina) specimen, I spotted a green fuzzy object moving around on a leaf. It was a Crown Slug Caterpillar (Isa textula) It is a fairly common moth in Eastern North America and … Continue reading →

This rather industrious Yellow and Black Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) built one of the most unusual webs I have ever seen. She took the pappus from nearby Yellow Salsify (Tragopogon lamottei Rouy) seed heads and embedded it in her web. … Continue reading →

Today while slogging in the steam which flows between Beaver Valley and Shangri La I had a close encounter with a snake called a Black Racer – (Coluber constrictor). It did not try to slither away like most racers I … Continue reading →

While traipsing through the woods near Wild Turkey Way at Loblolly Fork I stepped on a log which broke and exposed a bunch of little critters scurrying about. I examined the log closely and discovered that the critters were termites. … Continue reading →

While driving down Telegraph Road, I saw some movement in a mud puddle in front of me. I slowed down and discovered a bunch of American Toad (Bufo americanus) swimming around. Looking a little closer, I discovered that they were … Continue reading →

Today I did not do much botanizing. Instead I just drove around to see what I could find. Along side South Road near the BGE Powerline Right-of-way I spotted a lizard, which I believe is an Eastern Fence Lizard. In … Continue reading →